


Blooming

by Meekhayl



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Fae & Fairies, Fluff, M/M, Romance, Wild Hunt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:48:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27824788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meekhayl/pseuds/Meekhayl
Summary: My piece for the DimiClaude Gift Exchange for Trilies! I really hope you like it <3Fae!Dimitri falling in love with a human courting a flustered Claude.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 6
Kudos: 60





	Blooming

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Trilies](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trilies/gifts).



Claude never had been a stranger to the stories about the Fae. About the Seelie and the Unseelie court and he had a sharp wit and an even sharper tongue. Both the only thing that could save you when encountering the Fae.  
He had seen people getting pestered by little sprites and Faeries. Had heard of people gone missing after meeting a Fae of the High Court.  
And of course, he had heard of the Wild Hunt before. Of the men that rode through the sky hunting lost souls and treasures on the battlefield.  
The Wild Hunt was not of the Seelie or the Unseelie; they were lawless and free. They were respected and feared among the Fae and humans the same.  
So in no way ever had Claude thought that this would happen if he ever were unlucky enough to stumble upon them.  
The battle had been long and hard and he was one of the last to leave the battlefield. His leg hurting after his horse had collapsed on it. He was lucky that it was not lucky.  
He felt sorrow in his heart for losing his companion and so he hadn't wanted to be surrounded by the other soldiers that celebrated their victory.  
Once Claude had been a prince in a faraway country. Once he had been a duke in this land that was not recognizable anymore. Now he was not anything more than a simple soldier in a fight for life and death against the dictatorship of a single mad woman.   
But it was fine. He was fighting for what he believed in. Titles didn’t mean much to him. He would have needed them to fulfill his dreams but they were nothing more than a tool that wouldn’t get him anything right now.  
The past could not be changed so he had to concentrate on what was the reality right now.  
When he walked over the field crowded with corpses and severed limbs. Full of blood and discarded weapons. If he had the energy he could have collected some treasures here. Maybe a bow that would serve him better than his current weapon.  
But after losing Failnaught to Edelgard a weapon was a weapon. It didn’t really matter as long as it did it’s killing if he needed it to do.  
His head was clouded and his heart was heavy. Or else he would have taken notice of the fanfare that sounded in the sky. He would have heard the sound of hooves coming from the very wrong direction.  
But he hadn’t so when he spotted the riders descending from the sky it was already too late.  
The Wild Hunt had arrived. Lead by a large man. He had the look of a gentleman and a savage at the same time, his hair blond. His right eye hidden by an eyepatch. He wore black armor that never had been a human fashion!  
Claude swallowed hard and cursed his fatigue inwardly. How could he have been so stupid as to linger at a battlefield? He had to come to his senses or it would mean his death!

Sadly Claude didn’t remember much more of what happened after that. He had woken up on his own bed, next to him a single flower, foreign and beautiful. His head was hurting and he really thought it had been a dream. And then he had found that flower somewhere or that another soldier tried to make a joke with him.  
Oh how far he had been from the truth!

The next few mornings there had always been a flower resting on his pillow. And no matter how smart he was at asking around he could not find out who placed it there or even what kind of flower it was. The smell was intriguing and he felt his heart lift and his energy rise whenever he had it on him. But was that really the effect on the flower? Was it maybe some kind of drug? Or something that just made him believe it had this effect while slowly killing it?  
Better be safe than sorry. So he had thrown them away.

The next night Claude had enough. He laid down on his sparse bed and closed his eyes but he stayed awake, listened into the night. Whoever breached his privacy like that would be faced with his dagger and have to explain what kind of strange flower that was.

He hadn’t heard a single step or the flap of the tent, but he felt how something was laid onto his pillow and he jolted up, grabbed where the hand of the stranger should be, and flung his dagger to where the other’s throat would be.  
When his eyes flung open and adjusted to the dark he froze. There in front of his bed was a man, kneeling, the dagger close to his face. It was a face he had seen before at least slightly. A man he had thought was a ghost of his dreams. But there he was sitting the man that lead the night hunt. His one eye widened at the hostile behavior of the man he had just visited.  
Claude didn’t know what to do. He had never encountered a Fae, not really, and not from that close. He looked human enough but still ethereal. An air of wildness around him that was intriguing but made Claude wary. He needed to be on guard. And as he had feared in this very moment. In the hand, he had grabbed, rested a flower, delicate and beautiful like all the ones he had received before and had thrown away.  
Dread filled his body. A Fae had offered him a gift and he had thrown them away. If this man would get the knowledge of that he would be done for. What should he do? What was he supposed to do?  
Think Riegan! He internally screamed at himself.

“Are you mad?” the voice of the man in front of him was low. His tone questioning, careful even, even though still filled with unquestionable authority. This was not a man to oppose.  
“I…” Claude started, swallowing and slowly lowering his dagger. “No. I am not angry.” And it was the truth. He wasn’t angry. He was puzzled and a bit scared. He knew how to deal with a nightly assassin. But a Fae approaching his bed and gifting him flowers? And such a dangerous one at that? What was he supposed to do?  
After another second he released the wrist he had grabbed too and set properly in his bed. Or at least as proper as he could just in his night attire.

“What are you doing here?” He asked not really sure what kind of answer he wanted to receive.

“Bringing you a fresh flower.” He said like it was very obvious and the most natural thing in the world. “The others didn’t seem to be to your liking.” He now almost sounded a bit wistful. I am sorry I offered you not the most beautiful, most fresh one.” He now lowered his head and raised the other flower. “I hope this one is good enough.”

Claude looked at the flower disbelieving. Yes, this one was in full bloom and looked like she was still firmly planted in the earth. It was radiating with life with a strong fragrance.

He never had heard of a Fae trying so much to get the validation of a human. Shouldn’t he be angered that the lowly human he graced with a gift was so ungrateful? And why did Claude wish for that man to be rather angry than remorseful?

Claude swallowed. “I… didn’t know they came from you.” He said and now took the flower. Letting it rest in his hand. So it was a flower of the Fae. No wonder no one knew what it was. No wonder it had strange effects. But that didn’t mean that it wasn’t a dangerous one. Even more so it most likely had some wicked effects.

“But I promised to bring you flowers, didn’t I?”

Claude froze. “You did?” His voice was thin. And he really tried to remember. Did he really meet this man before? Did he talk with him? Was that day one the battlefield with fanfare in the distance really not just a dream.  
He swallowed. “I am sorry. I don’t remember meeting you before.” He said. Maybe it was a stupid thing to state but to be lying to a Fae was senseless anyway and he didn’t have a way to receive enough information to bullshit his way through this conversation with suggestions.

The man looked at him mortified, but then understanding rose on his face. “Of course you wouldn’t. Please forgive me.” He lowered his head again and Claude felt like he should not let him do that. “I should have known that the drinks of our kind would have a different effect on your kind.”

Claude shuddered. He drank from a Fae drink? What the hell had been wrong with him this evening? How the fuck had he managed to get himself into this mess? And that without being dead or having sold his soul to the Fae. Or did he sell his soul to the Fae? Damn

“Please, don’t. It’s not your fault.” Claude says, even though he has no idea if it is or not but actually it’s not like he cares. All he cares about is to understand what the fuck is going on.  
“So why exactly are you bringing me the flowers?”

The other man was still kneeling in front of Claude’s bed so that Claude looked down on him even though he was so sure the other man was taller than him by some inches. His face made a complicated expression. Almost like he was embarrassed.

“I lost our battle.” He said. His cheeks dusted a light pink. 

What battle? Had Claude been out of his mind to fight a battle with a Fae? Not any Fae of that. Had he wanted to die so badly on this day?

He just wished the man would just spit out the whole story and so he bit the inside of his cheek to may let the silence drive the other to more words. And he succeeded.

“It was the bet we made. When I lost the battle I would make sure that you would not fall on the battlefield. That I would keep you safe.”

How cunning of past Claude. But still not his best. There were so many loopholes. He could have just killed him in his sleep making sure he could never die on the battlefield. Or just not making him trip on the battlefield. How much of that Fae alcohol had he had at that time???

“So, this Flower is supposed to… prevent me from dying?”

The Fae nodded. “It is a protection spell. It sharps your senses and gives you energy. It quickens your healing abilities - which already are quite formidable as I may mention.” Claude blushed. He knew the Riegan crest was very useful in that matter but somehow it sounded like the Fae was commenting on a skill he had learned.  
“And when one drop of your blood ever was to touch it I will know. All my men have one.”

Claude shuddered. “Did… I join the Wild Hunt?”

The Fae in front of him laughed, a short barking sound. “No. If I would have been able to recruit you for the wild hunt you would ride through the skies with me right now, not having to worry about small human quarrels.”

He felt rage bubbling up. “This is not a small human quarrel. It’s an all-out war for years. This is fighting for freedom or whatever little of it is left!”

The other startled and lowered his head. “Please forgive me. I didn’t mean it like that. I just don’t see the difference. A year is just a fleeting moment for me.”

Claude shuddered and looked away, better letting that subject go.   
“So this flower.” He rotated it between his fingers softly. “How do I have to use it?”

“That’s easy. Wear it on you when going to battle. As close to your heart as possible.”

Claude nodded. That sounded like it was possible. “And I guess it works as a tracker right? You will know where I am no matter where I go if I take it along.”  
The Fae nodded. “But I am not looking into that often. Not without a distress sign.”

“So when I want to summon you, I just use a trick of blood on the petals and you will come to me?” Claude made sure. It would be very useful to have a man like this to fight for them when things went down.

“Don’t!” His face was dark now. “Don’t spill your blood intentionally!”  
He clenched his teeth. Looking as if he was thinking about taking the flower away from him again.  
“Use this instead.” He handed him something tiny and metallic. It was a small bell in the form of a Lion. It’s eyes staring at Claude as if it could read his soul like a book. He shuddered.  
“When you have the desire to see my face ring this bell three times. And I will come to you as soon as I am free.”

The way he said it sounded more like he had now a way to invite him over to play, but he nodded. “Alright.”

He could not believe that something like this was happening. Why should a man like that appear when he called? What else happened that evening? Had he maybe won the soul of this Fae? And he was only telling him half of the truth to get out of that bargain? 

“What is your name?” Claude found himself asking without really thinking about it. The name of the members of the Wild Hunt had always been something of a mystery. It was not like there were no names known, rather there were so many different names that it was difficult to be sure what to call the man if he ever stood right in front of him.

“Call me Dimitri.” The Fae said with a soft smile on his lips. And Claude felt his heart skip. What the hell was going on?  
“But I have to leave now. I already stayed too long. And you need the rest. Sleep well, Khalid.”

A shiver went through his whole body. And he murmured only a soft “Goodbye.” What the hell happened at this one cursed night?

When he woke up again it all felt like a dream again. But there it was the flower resting on his nightstand, where he had laid it down. This time he wouldn’t throw it away. He would wear it and hoped that Fae really were not able to lie.

It was incredible. He really was a whole new person. His energy never faded and he felt a little like he was a teenager again, with all the energy in the world and his head filled with big dreams. And under his sleeve the knowledge that he could be anything.

No matter how many battles he fought, no matter how long they took, he never lost his energy. The man around him started to get suspicious but since it was in their favor they didn’t say anything. Just hoping they never would have to go against him.

What surprised Claude though was that a few nights later he was woken by someone entering his tent. Immediately he was sitting his hand on the way to the dagger when he saw the blond man, Dimitri, again.

“What are you doing here?” Claude asked, surprised. He had not thrown the flower away nor was he hurt or summoned him with the little lion bell. So what reason could the leader of the Wild Hunt have to be with him? “And do you always have to sneak into my tent?”

Dimitri looked taken aback. “Am… I am not welcome?” He asked, hurt blooming on his face.

“That’s not what I meant,” Claude murmured. “Just come in. What is the reason for your visit?”

Dimitri was hesitating and slowly taking a few more steps into the little room, kneeling down again, like Claude was not some human warrior in a shabby bed, but a prince on a throne. It made him shiver.  
“I brought you this. I thought you maybe would like it.”

The Fae held out his hands on it resting something small and delicate. It was an arrowhead. But not anything like the ones Claude usually would use. It was sharp and deadly but was still more beautiful than half the ladies in all of Fòdlan.  
Careful Claude picked it up. It was incredibly light. “It is amazing.” He said honestly. “But… why?”

Dimitri lowered his eye, seemingly a bit embarrassed? “I wanted to give you nice things.” He said.

“Why?” Was that part of that battle? Or another promise?

“I want to see you smile.” 

This answer was the last thing Claude had expected, just starring at the other man dumbfounded. Dimitri’s cheeks were dusted pink now. And Claude had a really bad hunch.

Oh no. Oh no. These kinds of stories never ended well. And even less if they involved a fae. He swallowed and gave the other man a soft smile. “That is very nice of you.” The best course was to act like he didn’t get it. Like he thought the other was just a nice guy. Maybe he would give up then and would rather make a nice Lady Fae some gifts than a random warrior.

Dimitri nodded. But he didn’t seem satisfied. Wasn’t that smile good enough? 

“You didn’t call me.” He said then after another pause. Like he had waited for him to ring the bell. 

Claude gulped. “I didn’t.” He just answered since it was the truth. “I figured I would need a very good reason to call upon such a mighty man.”

Dimitri shook his head, blond hair flying. “You wanting to see me is reason enough for me to race towards you!” He insisted. “Just call me whenever. Even if it's just to keep an eye on you while you sleep. Or to keep you company. I don’t mind!”

Claude shivered. How could he have such wretched luck? And where was his wit when he needed it? Why was one look from that way too blue eye enough to make his mind go blank? So he just nodded.  
“If you are sure.”

For a second the room was silent again. But it wasn’t a nice silence it was like there was something hanging in the air, something big and heavy. 

“If you don’t want me to hang around…” Dimitri started. “You would say so, right Khalid?”

Claude shuddered. “Don’t say this name around here.” He shushed. No one knew it was his true name. The one name that he would only give to the closest of people. The name that made his heart ache.

“I am sorry,” Dimitri said. But still looking at him with that serious face, still demanding an answer.

So Claude sighed. “It’s not that your visits bother me.” He started. And even he flinched at the huge implication of his new sentence. Stupid. “But, I feel a bit overwhelmed. Not that your kind often are this friendly with my kind.” He didn’t look directly at Dimitri. “I am used to be careful. There is no person worth trusting in this world.”

Dimitri flinched and made a step back, bowing his head again. “I didn’t mean to demand your trust.” He said now in a low voice. I won’t bother you without your summoning again.” And with that, he had left into thin air.

Claude sighed. It felt wrong to make the other feel like that. But it couldn’t be helped.

The arrowhead he had received was attached to an arrow very soon, but it took him about a month to find a battle worth using this one arrow for. And at the end, he spent almost two hours searching for that one arrow. The corpse he had been sure it should be buried in, was empty of any metal.

He felt terrified. What would Dimitri do if he found out he lost his gift. Had he even been supposed to use it in battle? 

Later when he went to bed and removed his clothes he felt something strange. There was something in his pocket. But he had never put anything inside.

What he pulled out now was the arrowhead. But he was so sure he had never retrieved it. Or at least the whole arrow. So it was magical.  
He tested it whenever he could and always after shooting that arrow and it’s hitting a target a few hours later the arrowhead would be back into his pocket, all clean and shiny. It was really a magical item.

And even though Dimitri didn’t show his face anymore, sometimes there would be a raven approaching him, a small object in his sharp claws or a letter.

Dimitri was not showing up, but he still made him presents. All sort of little somethings. Useful and useless. Pretty and strange. But all utterly interesting. He felt something pulling at his heart. And he really wanted to talk to the man again. If only to find out what was his deal. 

To find out what half of the things were that came to him. Or why he sent him poems. The poems were of all sorts, too, but they always would have praise of the color green in it. 

So when he knew he had a day to himself he told the people in the camp he would make a trip to the city. 

He never arrived at that city but chose to make a stop at a little clearing that was hidden from the main road. There he took the bell out of his pocket and rang it three times.

It took only a few moments when he heard a horse and the sound of hooves. And there he was. In his full glory on his night-black steed. Dimitri. Leader of the Wild Hunt. He was alone. His hair was tousled from the wind and there was something wild in his eyes that hadn’t been there in the nightly visits and that slowly faded away when he looked at Claude a smile blooming on his face. 

It was like he was brightening up completely. Just happy about the fact that Claude had indeed called for him. Such an idiot.

In his hands he held a few flowers, Claude never had seen in his life before.  
And without hesitating for a second he dismounted his horse and went in large steps towards the human, holding the flowers out to him.

Claude took them, looking up to the Fae. He was huge. But strangely Claude didn’t feel intimidated. He had such soft energy. But he was sure that was not what made him the leader of the Wild Hunt.

“Thank you”, he said his voice weak.

The smile he received made heart jump again.  
On this day they just walked through the forest, Dimitri letting Claude ask all the questions he wanted and Dimitri answering them, from time to time picking something up he considered worth as a present for Claude and would give it to him. Sweet berries, a blossom he put in Claude’s hair. 

Whenever he did that Claude stopped mid-sentence and had to look away. Usually charming was his way of getting along with people. But this was different. Not only did Dimitri use his own weapons against him, but he was also so honest and sincere it hurt Claude. How should he keep up his guard like that?

He couldn’t. So he more and more met with Dimitri, learned of the Fae and the Wild Hunt. Of the vast sky and all the things, Claude had never seen in his life. No wonder all this seemed small to this man.

Dimitri never stopped making him presents. But soon switched to food and other consumable goods since Claude did complain he was not able to keep so many gifts in his little tent and that it made traveling harder.

Only once did Dimitri ask him why he was fighting in this war, understanding how important it was for him.

They talked about traveling together should this war ever be only and Claude was done with what he wanted to do here. At least for a bit. The thought of traveling with Dimitri was really a nice thought. But he knew it was impossible. But indulging in that fantasy was allowed, right? 

What he hadn’t thought of was that on a battle they had thought insignificant, he would stand directly in front of Edelgard with her huge cursed Axe. He could not let this chance slide so he attacked. He knew it was a trap, but if he could take her out, his life would be a sacrifice he was willing to give.

He had expected Hubert to launch magic on him and so was it. Followed by a rain of arrows from the archers. Claude had nocked his best arrow. With the head he had received from Dimitri all these moons ago.

He felt the flower at his chest burn when the lightning hit him. He had just let go of his arrow, praying for it to reach his goal. 

He didn’t feel any pain and couldn’t see anything anymore. He only heard the howling of the wind, the cries of a battlefield, and angry roaring. And the sound of hoves coming from every direction impossible.  
He smiled. Maybe the Wild Hunt would pick up his soul too.

When he woke up, he was in a sitting position on something that swayed, his head resting against something hard and warm. The sound of hoves was the only sound he could make out. He didn’t open his eyes yet, just enjoying this moment. When going to the afterlife felt like this he was not scared anymore.

Something warm was resting on his head, softly pressing him against the other warm thing. It felt like being hold by a father. He really had missed that. So he let himself fall asleep again.

He woke again when the swaying and the sound of hoves stopped and he hurt hushed voices. Did they already arrive?

This time he opened his eyes. All he saw was black. Soft black cotton from a tunic.  
With a little groan he sat up, now feeling pain returning to his body.

“Don’t move, love.” A soft voice whispered at his ear and pressing him back against the black tunic, against the chest of the man holding him. The man with a familiar voice. But with a tint of sadness, he never had heard in it before.

He felt how he was picked up differently and the man dismounting the horse they had been riding. His steps sounded heavy but not as heavy as they should have.

“You are not wearing your armor” Claude whispered, against the other’s body, still not fully back with his mind.

“it would have been uncomfortable for you. Dimitri said in a soft voice while opening a door. Soon after Claude was laid on a soft bed and he was able to see Dimitri. His hair was tousled, his eyes wild and filled with worry. Blood had splattered on his face. His eyepatch was crooked but still hid the eyesocket.

“What happened?” Claude asked. “Am I really still alive?”

Dimitri nodded. “You were too reckless. I almost came too late to kill this mage.” His voice was heavy. “You really put too much faith in me, love” His voice sounded like he had cried. Please don’t cry, Claude thought but it wouldn’t leave his lips.

“Is Edelgard dead?” He asked. “Did I kill her?”

“She is dead,” Dimitri said. The second answer he didn’t answer and so Claude knew. He could not say yes without lying. And Fae couldn’t lie. So he didn’t say anything. Claude hadn’t killed her. So most likely Dimitri did.

“Thank you.” He murmured. “Finally it’s over.” 

His eyes felt like closing. And he felt his lips form a smile on its own.

“Finally I see you smile,” Dimitri said, sounding sad. “I just wish it would be because of me.” 

“I am sorry,” Claude said. “I promise I won’t be distracted anymore. Remember we wanted to travel.”

Dimitri laughed. “First you have to heal. Then you can join the Wild Hunt.”

Claude coughed. Join the Wild Hunt? Had that been what traveling with Dimitri would mean? 

Dimitri caressed Claude’s hair, while the other wondered when his eyes had closed without his consent. “Don’t worry. You don’t have to decide now,” he whispered. 

“How can a human join the Wild Hunt anyway,” Claude whispered. “A Human riding with the Fae. Sounds fake to me.”

Dimitri laughs. “The Wild Hunt is not only Fae. We recruit from every race. But being part of the Wild Hunt is not like country. You can’t leave it if it displeases you. Being part of the Wild Hunt means becoming a Hunter, it means endless travels forever. You would no longer be Human Khalid.”

“Oh.” Khalid sighed. “But it’s the only way to be with you, right?”

Dimitri hesitated a little. “Sadly it is.”

“And Fodlan is safe?”

“As safe as a human territory can be.”

Claude nodded. “Then fine. I have nothing to return to anyway. And I already promised right? To travel with you when I am done.”

“You are free to do what you want,” Dimitri said, petting his hair again. 

“Then I’ll go with you. Wherever that is.”

He heard Dimitri gasp and a second later soft lips brushed against his. And strangely that was all he had wanted at this moment.

Life had always been an adventure and so it would stay. But now he had a dazzling Fae at his sides and would be able to feel the air in his hair again while seeing everything that always had been out of reach.

Never in his life, he had felt happier.

**Author's Note:**

> I really hoped you liked it <3


End file.
